The New York Yankees celebrate after an exhibition baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Friday, March 29, 2013, in Washington. The Yankees won 4-2. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Written by

Chad Jennings
The Journal News

The visiting clubhouse in Lakeland, Fla., is one of the smallest in the Grapefruit League. A snack table in the middle of the room takes up about a third of the space, and in those cramped quarters, players don't linger.

So, when Andy Pettitte stood at one end of that clubhouse, three steps in front of the bathroom, nine days before the Yankees' season opener, he was essentially alone except for a dozen or so reporters.